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Special Delivery is book two in the Freedom (human trafficking) series. For anyone who may not have read book one, Deliver Me From Evil, can you fill us in on the focus of the series in general, and Special Delivery in particular?

The Freedom series is a three-book fiction series built around the horrifying topic of human trafficking. People often ask me why I decided to write about such a dark topic. First, I explain that I’m not writing about a dark topic; I’m writing about the Light that shines in that darkness. And second, I believe the Church should be at the forefront of the modern-day abolition movement to set the captives (modern-day slaves) free. The three books in this series specifically follows the life of a young woman named Mara, who was sold into sexual slavery by her own parents in Mexico, and then smuggled across the border into San Diego by her uncle who then served as her pimp. A strong sub-plot throughout the series tells of two sisters in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Chanthra and Lawan, who are also trapped in a brothel. Finally, a teenage girl named Francesca, kidnapped in Juarez, Mexico, and forced into prostitution, is introduced in book two. Special Delivery picks up two years after book one, Deliver Me From Evil, ends, and continues with the stories of Mara and Lawan, as well as others carried over from book one. Mara hopes she is finally free to pursue her own life because she was rescued from the brothel and her testimony helped lock up her uncle for life. But the man has underground connections and is driven by revenge to reach out from behind bars and deliver the ultimate punishment to his niece.

This isn’t the first fiction series you’ve written on nationwide and even worldwide social issues, the one previous to this being the persecuted Church. What draws you to these difficult topics?As a Christian, I believe I am compelled to use my God-given gifts to honor God in all I do—and that includes exposing the deeds of darkness, calling sinners to repentance, and taking a stand for righteousness by doing all I can to help rescue those who are suffering. I dare not turn my back on “the least of these.” I also believe that God placed this sort of burden on my heart even before I became a Christian at the age of 26. I’ve always been a champion of the underdog, a “soap-box” preacher, if you will. When I met Jesus, I simply redirected that passion toward His people, realizing I couldn’t effect real change in my own strength anyway.

With your obvious passion to right social and moral wrongs through the power of the Gospel, how did writing and speaking enter into that?

I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since I was a child—never wanted to do anything else. When I was a teenager I told my then boyfriend (now husband) that I was going to be a writer one day. What a blessing that God allowed me to fulfill that dream! After becoming a believer and growing in my faith, it was natural to take my passion to fight for others and incorporate it into my writing. Speaking, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. I was terrified of public speaking when I was young, and the day I received Christ I made a “bargain” with God, promising to do anything He asked of me—so long as it didn’t include public speaking. (Does God have a sense of humor or what???) Now, when I stand in front of audiences where I believe God has called me to speak (and actually find myself enjoying it!), I tell my listeners that if God has called them to do something and they feel it’s impossible, they can consider me their “visual aid” that NOTHING is impossible with God IF we will simply take that first step of obedience and let Him fulfill His purpose in and through us.

With the topics of the worldwide persecuted Church and human trafficking under your belt, what other issues are you dealing with in your writing?My Christmas 2011 book, A Christmas Journey Home, dealt with the immigration/border problem, and my Christmas 2012 novel,Unexpected Christmas Hero, will be about homelessness in America. The next issues-related fiction series I have on tap—which I am just starting to write, by the way—is called the “Patches of Courage” series and will begin releasing in late January 2013. Book one is The Moses Quilt, based on the life of Harriet Tubman, and will be followed by The Christmas Quilt and The Impossible Quilt. This series of books will highlight historical American women whose Christian faith enabled them to walk in great courage and make a difference in the lives of countless people.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speakers Services (http://ChristianSpeakersServices.com).

Thanks for stopping by and letting us get to know about your new book Special Delivery Kathi. I always enjoy when you stop by. I'm excited to hear about the next series "Patches of Courage" that you're working on. Wow, that sounds fascinating and of course I'm a fan of quilts. I'll love to hear the role they played in American history. I'll be praying that the Lord provides you with the research material you need to write the story that he's laid on your heart! I look forward to having you back and talk about that series.

The one your writing about now is horrific and the tentacles of evil are long. What I like is how you show the reader that there is hope and it's not that these girls don't wait to leave the evil one makes it really hard. That's why they need our help and prayers.

Nora St.LaurentThe Book Club Network CEOwww.bookfun.org

REVIEW:

Special Delivery

By Kathi Macias

Published by New
Hope Publishers

ISBN#978-1-59669-307-4

320 Pages

Book Blurb: In book two of the
“Freedom” series, readers find Mara fighting against her attraction to Bible
college student Jonathan Flannery even while wrestling with risking her own
precarious safety to become involved in the rescue of another girl who is
pregnant and desperately wants to escape her captors and save her own life, as
well as her child’s.

Halfway around the world in a brothel in Thailand, a young girl is rescued
with the promise of being reunited with her younger sister who was adopted by
an interracial couple in the States, friends of Jonathan’s family. Meanwhile,
Jefe—Mara’s uncle, who held her as a sex slave in his brothel in San Diego for years—seeks
revenge for Mara’s testimony that put him behind bars for life.

Will his underworld connections be successful in kidnapping and killing the
girl who believes she has finally won her freedom?

Review:Special Delivery is the second book in the
Freedom series, where Kathi Macias does an amazing job of bringing awareness to
the sex trafficking business in America.
This author helps the reader feel for these young women who are often times
kidnapped and forced into a life of prostitution, with no hope of escape on
their own. I’m thankful for the review copy of a book that shows a light of
hope in the darkness of this tragic situation.
This author helps the reader recognize possible victims and how these
guys operate and manipulate young girls. By knowing their actions we can help
bring guys described in this book to justice for their horrific crimes.

The main character, Mara, has been rescued from the clutches
of evil, and the pit of hell! She thanks the Lord every day for her freedom.
She has a new life through the grace of God and people willing to risk so much
to bring her freedom..

When people found out about Mara’s past would they treat her
like the other girls her age? Could they put old things away and look at her
through news eyes? She’s a woman saved by grace and cleaned by the blood of the
lamb. She was still struggling to walk that out.

Kathi Macias shows the tentacles of evil go deep into
society. Evil has eyes and ears that connect to underground organizations. Even
if these girls get rescued from the horrible slave pit, evil is at work trying
to get them back so they could have their revenge and continue to make money
off their bodies. It’s about the money. It’s sick thing to think about but oh
so real.

Mara is a waitress and spies a young girl with an older man
at a table she’d soon be waiting on. Mara suspects something is amiss and
discerns this man is not her father. It gives her the creeps as she watches the
girls’ body language in reaction to the man next to her.

Mara prays as she goes to the table to take their order. As
she is taking their order Mara looks at the terrified look in the young girls’
eyes, it breaks her heart. She knows how it feels to be a sex slave, her mind
and heart start racing as she tries to get through their order. She knows this
guy is bad news. How can she help this girl? She hasn’t been free long herself.
It would be risky for her to get involved. The enemy might track her down and
force her into the life she just left. She stops a minute and reflects. Didn’t
people risk their lives for her sake? She had to do the same! She wanted to
give this young girl a chance at freedom. No one deserved to life as a sex
slave.

Kathi Macias pens a novel that pulls at your heart-strings
and brings awareness to the horrific slavery happening in America. Once
we become aware of what is going on we can find places to help. I pray society doesn’t
go back to sleep and pretend this doesn’t exist. This author describes how hard
it is to set these girls free and prosecute the evil doers. This is big
business. It’s hard to find the camps and shut them down but it can be done. All
things are possible through Christ that strengthens us.

Kathi Macias has a heart for the hurting. I’m thankful she
is passionate about writing books that bring awareness to issues I should know
about. She also helps me know about organizations I can get involved with to
help whatever cause she is writing about at the time. I highly recommend this
series on sex trafficking, you’ll never be the same after reading it.

5 comments:

Thank you for participating in the CSS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR for book two of The Freedom Series, SPECIAL DELIVERY with author, Kathi Macias.

For information where FREE copies of this book will be given away, please follow @ChristianSpkrs on Twitter and also visit http://christianspeakerservices1.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/blog-tour-kick-off-for-special-delivery-by-kathi-macias-book-giveaway/

Stay tuned to free giveaways and more on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CSSVBT.TheFreedomSeries.

Thank you so much, Nora, for posting this interview with me and the review of Special Delivery. This is how we help spread awareness of this horrific crime and call people to action. Together we can make a difference. Abolition!

Thanks Karen for the opportunity to participate in this tour. I do think it's important to bring awareness to this horrific situation. Yes, we need to get the word out as much as possible. What I enjoy about your books Kathi is that you help the lay person be aware of things we should look for and give us ways in which we can help these girls and catch the bad guys.

Yes, Alice I agree with you even though Kathi talks about a hard topic she shows all sides and leaves the reader hopeful.

Ingrid I wasn't giving away any books with this interview. I just posted the interview. If you won them from the website for Christian Speakers. Congrats!! You are going to be moved by these powerful books.

BOOK REVIEWS

REVIEW DISCLAIMER:
Most books reviewed on this site have been given to me. Other's I've bought. I state that in the review.
I will give my honest opinion whether I've been given a book or bought it. I only review books I've enjoyed and gloat about the ones that stirred my soul. I do not post negative reviews.
Books are so subjective. Authors work hard at their craft and I will not shoot them down. Not everyone likes the same things. Some books I loved others didn't. My job as a former book club leader and current book reviewer is to give you a sneak peak into the book kind of like a film critic gives their opinion and a movie trailer to check out. I will give you a book clip. You decide if you like it or not!
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Nora St.Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
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